The Sacred

What Does It Take to Create a Shared Home in a Divided City?In Jerusalem, two women from opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian divide, Riman Barakat and Karen Brunwasser, have spent more than a decade building FeelBeit, a shared arts and cultural space where Israeli and Palestinian artists and communities are invited to ‘feel at home’ together.In this moving conversation, recorded live at Aspen Ideas Festival, we explore what it takes to build trust across a profound divide—and what happens when that trust is tested by violence, grief and fear.We also cover:Friendship and why relationships can be a form of peacebuildingWhat happened at FeelBeit after October 7 and in the years sinceThe power of art to hold grief, anger, joy and hope at the same timeWhy “compassion over righteous indignation” and “self-love and self-critique” might be some of the hardest—and most necessary—practices for our societies🎙️ Listen to The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 The Sacred is produced by Theos Think Tank in partnership with Comment Magazine, and with support from The Jerusalem Trust and Open Society Foundations👉 Check out FeelBeit: https://feelbeit.com/underconstruction/Our guests and listeners to our podcast come from all kinds of perspectives and what draws us together is a desire to be self-aware about our own values and curious about other peoples. Comment your reflections below, we read them all 👇

What does it mean to prepare to die—and then discover that you need to prepare to live again?In this conversation, poet Christian Wiman reflects on faith, poetry, love, mortality, and his experience of living for more than 20 years with cancer. He talks about his turbulent childhood, how poetry transformed his anger into something creative, and why he believes poems can open us to something beyond ourselves.The conversation also explores:Wiman’s journey from economics to poetryWhat a poem actually is—and why sound can matter more than meaningAttention and his idea of “productive inattention”Faith, suffering, and writers including Simone Weil and Etty HillesumWiman also reads three poems: Five Houses Down, 2047 Grace Street, and In the Time of Fire.---🎙️ Listen to The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 The Sacred is produced by Theos Think Tank in partnership with Comment Magazine, and with support from The Jerusalem Trust and Open Society Foundations👉 See Christian Wiman's Poetry: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/christian-wiman --👇 Our guests and listeners to our podcast come from all kinds of perspectives and what draws us together is a desire to be self-aware about our own values and curious about other peoples. Comment your reflections below, we read them all.

What do you do when you feel like an outsider?We spoke to Rabbi Angela Buchdahl who turned her experience of being a cultural and religious outsider into a source of strength. Raised in a biracial, mixed-faith American-Korean family, her identity was both welcomed and questioned in Korean and Jewish communities.She later would later go on to become one of the most prominent and influential public rabbis in the United States, the first female East Asian senior rabbi at NYC's Central Synagogue, and writer of the bestselling memoir Heart of a Stranger.We spoke about:Owning multiple identities, not fitting in and how to create a steady sense of selfThe religious conversion instinct and how to have religious humility Key Hebrew ideas that Rabbi Angela lives byThe radical offering of religious communities in our divided times: community, awe, proximityNavigating tokenism as the first East Asian ordained rabbi---🎙️Listen to ⁠The Sacred Podcast⁠: https://linktr.ee/sacredpodcast📖 Follow ⁠Elizabeth Oldfield: https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/💡Produced by ⁠⁠Theos Think Tank⁠⁠ in partnership with ⁠⁠Comment Magazine⁠⁠ and with support from ⁠⁠The Jerusalem Trust⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Open Society Foundations👉 Follow Rabbi Angela Buchdahl: https://www.instagram.com/rabbibuchdahl/?hl=enOur guests and listeners to our podcast come from all kinds of perspectives and what draws us together is a desire to be self-aware about our own values and curious about other peoples. Comment your reflections below, we read them all👇

Why do stories matter? Why have human beings always told stories - and what if the oldest stories still have something vital to teach us?In this episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth Oldfield sits down with psychologist, mythologist and bestselling author Dr Sharon Blackie to explore why myths and fairy tales aren't just relics of the past, but tools for making sense of life today.From a childhood marked by hardship to decades studying narrative psychology, Sharon shares how stories help us navigate change and uncertainty by showing us how people find courage, resilience and meaning in the face of life's hardest moments.⚠️ Content note: This episode includes discussion of rape, sexual violence and domestic abuse. Listen with care. Together they explore:Why stories shape the way we understand ourselvesWhat fairy tales can teach us about resilience and healingWhy men need less heroic storylinesThe forgotten wisdom hidden in traditional mythsWomen's stories, identity and reclaiming lost voicesOur relationship with nature and what ancient stories reveal about living well todayWhether you love folklore or have never picked up a fairy tale since childhood, this conversation is ultimately about how to make sense of suffering, rediscover hope, or find meaning in uncertain times.—Dr Sharon Blackie is an award-winning psychologist, mythologist and author of If Women Rose Rooted, Hagitude, Wise Women and The Enchanted Life. Her work explores mythology, psychology, ecology and the stories that shape who we become.—Our guests and listeners to our podcast come from all kinds of perspectives and what draws us together is a desire to be self-aware about our own values and curious about other peoples. Comment your reflections below, we read them all👇🎙️Listen to ⁠The Sacred Podcast⁠: https://linktr.ee/sacredpodcast📖 Follow ⁠Elizabeth Oldfield: https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/💡Produced by ⁠⁠Theos Think Tank⁠⁠ in partnership with ⁠⁠Comment Magazine⁠⁠ and with support from ⁠⁠The Jerusalem Trust⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Open Society Foundations👉 See Dr Sharon Blackie's work: https://sharonblackie.net/--Chapters:0:00 — What is Sacred to you? Dr Sharon Blackie answers2:30 — Finding the divine in everything4:16 — Growing up with poverty, violence, and resilience5:43 — The working-class values we’ve forgotten6:13 — The formidable women who raised her8:29 — Living with an alcoholic parent9:50 — The fairy tale that changed her life10:47 — Why every great story begins with catastrophe12:03 — Grimm’s fairy tales vs Disney13:02 — Why we need the original fairy tales14:10 — Fairy tales were never just for children15:06 — What fairy tales teach us about surviving hard times16:14 — Leaving corporate life to find her real calling17:39 — Learning to stop being afraid of life20:47 — From neuroscience to narrative therapy26:39 — When women were the wisdom keepers28:28 — Christianity, myth, and the loss of women’s voices31:29 — Rethinking masculinity and femininity33:08 — Can we still talk about "women"?38:14 — What fairy tales teach us about work and resilience39:57 — Healing without getting stuck in your wounds43:15 — Becoming whole through story45:06 — Why good parents are missing from fairy tales49:44 — Beyond the Hero’s Journey: a new way to liveCOPYRIGHT: "Burn Out" - Victor Lundberg (Licensed by Epidemic) & "Beyond the Veil" (feat. Khamir Music) by Simon Wester (Licensed by Musicbed)

What does it mean to be visibly Muslim in British public life right now? Mehreen Khan has been living that question since she was eleven years old - when 9/11 turned her faith into something she had to defend.She's now Economics Editor at The Times, the first woman and first person of colour in the role, and one of the most outspoken Muslim voices in mainstream British journalism. We cover:What Islam really means to her — the concept of fitrah and why faith makes you a better journalist How 9/11 turned Islam into a punk identity for Mehreen and ego death Being the first woman and first person of colour as Economics Editor at The Times Davos, elite financial circles, and what you see when you're inside the room Money: why economics is never morally neutral, and what it might look like to bring moral imagination back to capitalismWhat it means to be visibly Muslim in Britain right nowWhy Mehreen is quietly rooting for the revival of Christianity in British public life---Our guests and listeners to our podcast come from all kinds of perspectives and what draws us together is a desire to be self-aware about our own values and curious about other peoples. Comment your reflections below, we read them all👇🎙️Listen to ⁠The Sacred Podcast⁠: https://linktr.ee/sacredpodcast📖 Follow ⁠Elizabeth Oldfield: https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/💡Produced by ⁠⁠Theos Think Tank⁠⁠ in partnership with ⁠⁠Comment Magazine⁠⁠ and with support from ⁠⁠The Jerusalem Trust⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Open Society Foundations👉 See Mehreen's work: https://www.thetimes.com/profile/mehreen-khan

Michael Pollan tried psychedelics at 55. What he found changed everything he thought he knew.Michael is not a mystic or a guru. He is the kind of writer that scientists, doctors and serious intellectuals trust - someone who changed the way millions of people think about food, farming and the natural world. So when Michael Pollan tried psychedelics at 55 and came back saying the certainties had started to dissolve - the world began to listen in a way they simply wouldn't have for anyone else.In this conversation, Michael and Elizabeth explore what it actually means to be conscious — and whether we're squandering it. Why does every psychedelic trip seem to arrive at the same slightly cliché and yet, beautiful conclusions? What have we lost by building a science of the mind that brackets out the body, the emotions and everything that actually feels like something? Why is the cool, analytical part of our brain so much louder than the part that knows how to be present — and who benefits from keeping it that way? And what are the algorithms really stealing when they steal our attention?They cover:Why science keeps getting within reach of explaining consciousness — and then losing its nerve What psychedelics reveal that embarrasses serious researchers (and why that embarrassment is the clue) The Silicon Valley bid to upload consciousness How to protect your attention in an age designed to steal itWhy not-knowing might be the most important skill of our time--Our guests and listeners to our podcast come from all kinds of perspectives and what draws us together is a desire to be self-aware about our own values and curious about other peoples. Comment your reflections below, we read them all👇---🎙️Listen to ⁠The Sacred Podcast⁠: https://linktr.ee/sacredpodcast📖 Follow ⁠Elizabeth Oldfield: https://www.elizabetholdfield.com/💡Produced by ⁠⁠Theos Think Tank⁠⁠ in partnership with ⁠⁠Comment Magazine⁠⁠ and with support from ⁠⁠The Jerusalem Trust⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Open Society Foundations👉 See Michael Pollan's work: https://michaelpollan.com/--Chapters:0:00 - Intro trailer01:45 - What is Sacred to you? Michael Pollan answers3:45 - When the ego dissolves: what psychedelics actually do4:25 - Growing up with an alcoholic father and becoming the man with all the answers6:01 - 'How to Change Your Mind; shifted culture6:25 - Michael's lifelong obsession with nature7:22 - Why feelings became an embarrassment to science8:16 - First experience of psychedelics9:18 - Is consciousness being polluted — and do we even notice?10:18 - Silicon Valley wants to upload the soul. Here's why that's terrifying26:13 - Why being a sceptic, not an expert, made the psychedelic book so influential28:33 - How writers sense a cultural shift before it happens30:25 - The president who colonised our consciousness and won't leave32:06 - Elizabeth's encounter with God at age 1136:33 - The Zen cave, Roshi Joan Halifax, and learning to not know41:27 - We can't afford to be anything less than present43:24 - How men get scripted out of their own inner lives46:10 - Consciousness as the secular word for soul49:04 - Protect your inner life from the algorithm52:12 - Why don't they just make a baby? The funniest moment in the book54:24 - Ayahuasca, idealism and the scientist who changed his mind twice56:06 - Cultivating the don't-know mind56:32 - Elizabeth's reflections

Nearly a decade into The Sacred, we’re still doing the same thing: having honest and curious conversations with people who see the world differently.We're wondering why - like the return of spring - seeking to understand another person at a deep level never seems to get old. There's something about learning to truly understand people outside our “tribe” that feels challenging and pleasurable all at once and we're seeing (nine years later!) just how much we need these conversations today.As Maff Potts says, “the answer to our problems is each other.”So this is a practice, a community and a place to sit with the hard questions and we're really glad you’re doing it with us.— The Sacred Team - Elizabeth, Josh, Amari & Joe👀 You may notice that our visuals have been levelled up. We’re delighted that our team is growing and The Sacred will be getting a lot more beautiful and creative!✍️ Substack: https://thesacredpodcast.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips💡 Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/

What actually shapes the life you’re living - your own choices, or the ones you inherited?In this episode of The Sacred, we are with Dr Rangan Chatterjee exploring the moments that force our values to the surface - births, deaths and major life events - and how they can reset the direction of our lives.An Indian immigrant doctor, his father worked relentlessly to give his family opportunities — but it also came at a cost and contributed to the illness that ended his career and eventually his life. This left Dr Rangan with the question 'Dad, was it worth it?"This conversation opens up topics that many of us choose to avoid:• Workaholism and the drive for more• What it really means to define “success” for yourself • What it takes to consciously choose what we carry forward from our parentsDr Rangan Chatterjee is a former GP, bestselling author and one of the UK’s most recognisable voices on a holistic approach to health.--🎙️Listen to The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast\ 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡Produced by Theos Think Tank: www.theosthinktank.co.uk/👉 Check out Dr Rangan's podcast, Feel Better Live More: https://drchatterjee.com/podcast-epis...Chapters:00:00 Intro00:50 What is Sacred to You? Dr. Rangan Chatterjee answers1:31 Staying connected to family roots2:09 Career sacrifices and setting boundaries5:14 Being non-judgmental around boundaries6:23 Understanding empathy from a most-wanted criminal 9:11 Everyone's story makes sense12:06 Indian upbringing vs western culture at school13:41 Integrating eastern values into modern life15:35 Teaching respect and kindness to children17:29 Father's work ethic and health impact19:41 "Was it worth it?"22:29 Recognising overworking and knowing what is enough24:51 Surprising personal interests and finding joy27:30 Spiritual awakening, introspection and personal growth29:19 Whose life are you leading?33:39 Are you religious?36:23 Responding to negative comments with kindness39:56 Meaningful living and the importance of relationships, humour, and beliefKeywords:values, grief and growth, redefining success, what is enough, living with intention, family and sacrifice, work life balance, burnout and overwork, meaning of life, personal growth, self reflection, life purpose, inner work, emotional wellbeing, mental health, lifestyle medicine, holistic health, parenting and values, legacy and inheritance, immigrant family story, identity and belonging, cultural identity, compassion and empathy, curiosity over judgment, relationships and connection, modern life stress, slowing down, presence and mindfulness, gratitude practice, life transitions, dealing with loss, grief and clarity, success vs happiness, redefining ambition, work ethic rethink, conscious living, self awareness, asking better questions, deep conversations, philosophy of life, spirituality and meaning, living authentically, personal values, making better choices, life design, happiness and contentment, avoiding burnout, healing generational patterns, carrying forward what matters

In this episode, Elizabeth Oldfield is joined by political theorist and author Sophie Lewis to explore one of the most provocative ideas: the abolition of the family.Reflecting on her own complicated adolescence, Sophie asks what it would mean to reorganise society around love and collective care rather than accumulation?Drawing on her book, Abolish the Family, Sophie argues that the nuclear family carries impossible burdens in a capitalist society - privatising care, exhausting women, and quietly treating children as property. Could we imagine a world where love, care, and kinship extend beyond the walls of the nuclear family?Together, they talk about:• Why “utopia” is a practice, not a destination• The hidden labour inside the private household• Surrogacy, reproduction and the myth of “unassisted” motherhood• Are autonomy and care are opposites, or inseparable?• Jesus’ radical redefinition of family and the overlap between Christianity and communism• What Sophie really means by abolition---🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 👉 Check out Sophie Lewis' work: https://www.instagram.com/reproutopia/?hl=en--Chapters:00:00 Intro01:30 What is Sacred to you? Sophie Lewis answers12:15 - Sophie’s complex family history and personal struggles17:08 - Educational journey and radicalisation at university 20:28 - The meaning of utopia as a non-attachment process 24:22 - Connections between faith, love, and collective action 31:42 - Dissecting the concept of "Full Surrogacy Now" 36:39 - The biological myths around kinship and their political implications 43:46 - The paradox of abolition47:01 - Abolishing slavery through a radical reimagining of humanism 50:04 - Redefining family and kinship beyond blood ties 58:37 - How revolutionary care structures could have supported Sophie’s mother 60:45 - Sophie’s dedication to collective love and care as sacred practices 65:55 - The importance of shared purpose, synchronised action, and communityKeywords:Sophie Lewis interview, abolish the family, radical feminist theory, Marxist feminism, political theory podcast, communisation of care, collective care, kinship networks, utopian thinking, libertarian communism, red love, family abolition, post-capitalist society, rethinking family, surrogacy ethics, gestational labor, parenthood and care, children belong to all of us, abolitionist thought, freedom and care, communal living, shared responsibility, parenting in modern society, radical theory for everyday life, anti-capitalist ideas, feminist politics, climate activism and radical thought, human geography theory, political philosophy podcast, queer runaway experiences, care as politics, social justice ideas, ethical community building, friendship as radical practice, collective freedom, family and society, abolitionist feminism, pregnancy and labor politics, communal childcare, mutual aid networks, parenting beyond the nuclear family, utopian visions, practical radicalism, human interconnection, radical love, ethics of kinship, parenting as shared labor, post-nuclear family ideas, political critique of capitalism, community-centered society, love and autonomy, humanism and care, social reproduction theory, feminist philosophy, radical theory conversation, future of family, abolitionist imagination

Elizabeth Neumann, a former senior official in the Trump Administration, reflects on why she felt called to serve, what she witnessed from inside government, and how her commitment to integrity ultimately led her to step away.In this conversation, she and Elizabeth Oldfield reflect on how extremism takes root, the role of integrity in polarised times, and why love, accountability, and formation matter more than outrage or power.Key moments:- Why Elizabeth Neumann worked in the Trump administration - and why she left- The difference between loyalty, obedience, and integrity- How fear drives polarisation and extremism- What 911 on January 6th revealed about institutional fragility- Why love is not soft, but essential for violence prevention- The cost of truth-telling inside communities you care aboutChapters00:00 Trailer00:32 Intro01:21 What is sacred to you? Elizabeth Neumann answers03:34 Values in Hard Decision Making 08:47 Growing Up in the Bible Belt 14:06 Understanding Extremism and Fear 18:31 The Shift in Political Narratives 27:21 The Impact of 9/11 on National Security 32:02 The Psychological Drivers of Extremism 41:51 The Role of Love in Community Resilience 48:09 Navigating Political Loyalty in the Trump Administration 53:26 The January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol 01:00:18 Speaking Out Against Extremism 01:05:48 Engaging with Those at Risk of RadicalisationKeywords:John Kelly, Christian extremism, Bush, Trump, political extremism in America, faith and politics, Elizabeth Neumann interview, former Trump administration official, extremism and fear, radicalization and identity, preventing political violence, January 6 insurrection analysis, national security and extremism, Christian nationalism explained, moral courage in politics, integrity vs loyalty, obedience and conscience, fear-based politics, polarization in America, how extremism takes root, psychological drivers of extremism, love as violence prevention, community resilience against extremism, speaking out against extremism, truth-telling in polarized communities, cost of dissent, faith formation and identity, Bible Belt culture, 9/11 and national security policy, domestic extremism explained, religious identity and politics, political loyalty and integrity, navigating moral conflict at work, radicalization warning signs, de-escalation and prevention strategies, engaging people at risk of extremism, the role of fear in radicalization, democracy under threat, institutions under strain, January 6 lessons learned, Christian ethics in public life, power vs moral responsibility, extremism inside institutions, violence prevention strategies, faith-based approaches to peacebuilding, why people believe extreme ideologies, breaking cycles of outrage, love and accountability in community, political identity and belonging, courageous leadership in divided times, how narratives shape extremism, faith, fear, and power, rebuilding trust across difference

In this special end-of-year reflection episode of The Sacred, we're slowing down and seeing the season out with some of Elizabeth's favourite poems. Take a moment to sit with darkness and light, to reflect on the year, and to rest in words that have carried us through conversations about grief, migration, identity, hope and moral courage.Elizabeth reads some of the poems that have steadied her this season, from William Stafford and W.H. Auden to John Donne and Alfred Lord Tennyson.Poem credits: 'A Ritual to Read to Each other' from book 'Ask Me' by William Stafford from Graywolf Press. 'September 1, 1939' by W.H. Auden.'Nativity' by John DonneExcerpt from 'In Memoriam' by Alfred Lord Tennyson.📝 We’d be so grateful if you could fill out out listener survey. If you’ve been nourished by The Sacred, we’d really love to hear from you. We'd love to know what’s helping, or what’s not and what you’d like to see more of. Here's the link: https://biblesociety.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3WMJCr2xnXcxIq2🌟Wherever you are, we hope you find rest and time to slow down in this season. We’re grateful to be on this journey with you and we’ll see you in the new year!

In this live episode of The Sacred, Elizabeth Oldfield sits down with Channel 4 journalist Cathy Newman to the moments that guided her toward investigative journalism and a lifelong commitment to seeking truth. They talk about:✍️Investigative journalism and its role in holding power accountable ⛪ Investigating John Smyth's abuse in the Church of England✖️Navigating public scrutiny, social media abuse, and global debates 🌍The importance of diverse perspectives in newsrooms for more accurate reporting Cathy shares candid insights about truth, bias, and the pursuit of justice in journalism, highlighting the human stories behind the headlines and why public service media matters now more than ever. 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 👉 Follow Cathy: https://x.com/cathynewman?lang=enHosted by How the Light Gets In Keywords:Cathy Newman, Cathy Newman interview, Channel 4 News, Investigative journalism, Holding power to account, Accountability journalism, Truth in journalism, Media bias, Bias and perspective, Post-truth world, Public trust in media, Ethics in journalism, Moral courage, Whistleblowers, Abuse of power, Church abuse investigations, John Smyth investigation, Political scandals UK, Truth seekers, Journalism and justice, Cathy Newman The Sacred, The Sacred podcast, Elizabeth Oldfield, Courageous conversations, Speaking truth to power, Newsroom diversity, Media responsibility, Reporting on conflict, Gaza reporting ethics, War reporting challenges, Human nature and journalism, The human condition, Understanding truth, Misogyny in media, Online abuse journalists, Jordan Peterson interview, Public backlash, Investigative reporting stories, Exposing wrongdoing, Social justice journalism, Fact-based reporting, Trustworthy journalism, Impactful storytelling, Power dynamics, UK journalism, Female journalists UK, Journalism values, Holding leaders accountable, Media integrity, Hard-hitting interviews

How can you reconcile all parts of your identity in an increasingly polarised landscape?After a mystical experience in a Sydney bar, David Bennett found himself shifting from queer theory and student politics towards a surprising new centre of gravity: the Christian faith. Today he describes himself as a gay celibate Christian, someone living between two tribes often assumed to be incompatible.In this deep and tender conversation, theologian David speaks with Elizabeth Oldfield about his long wrestle with desire, queer identity and Scripture; why he believes celibacy can be liberating rather than repressive; and how he hopes to build bridges across an increasingly polarised landscape.They explore what happens when your story becomes symbolic in the culture wars, how to refuse weaponisation from both left and right, and what it means to live as a pilgrim - someone always on the way, always becoming.---🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 👉 Follow David: https://www.instagram.com/davidacbennett/?hl=enChapters:00:00 - Intro 00:48 - What is Sacred to you? David Bennett answers02:00 - Growing Up and Not Fitting In05:00 - Coming Out & the Shockwaves at Home08:00 - Searching for Meaning: A Tour Through Belief Systems11:00 - Encountering God: The Moment Everything Shifted17:00 - Queer and Christian: Living in the Tension20:00 - Queer Side A and B Explained23:00 - Love, Honesty, Humility: The Values That Ground Him26:00 - Navigating criticism from Progressives and Conservatives29:00 - Living authentically with both identities32:00 - Final Reflections: Hope, Courage & Spiritual Belonging49:00 - David's message to the LGBTQI+ community58:30 - Elizabeth's reflectionsKeywords:David Bennett, gay Christian, celibate gay Christian, Side B Christianity, Side A vs Side B, queer Christianity, queer theology, queerness and faith, LGBTQ and religion, gay and Christian, Christianity and sexuality, Christian celibacy, re-sublimation of desire, same-sex attracted Christian, spiritual pilgrimage, faith and identity, culture war debates, progressive vs conservative Christianity, gay celibacy debate, queer identity and church, sexual ethics in Christianity, Romans 8:20 interpretation, Christian views on sexuality, LGBTQ inclusion in church, modern Christian ethics, religious trauma, faith deconstruction, faith reconstruction, conversion experience, encountering God, Christian testimony, reconciling faith and sexuality, Christian community rejection, building bridges across divides, Christian identity struggles, Oxford theology, queer theory and Christianity, celibacy as vocation, Christian friendship and community, Augustine and pilgrimage, Christian witness, culture wars and faith, LGBTQ spiritual journeys, progressive Christian critique, conservative Christian critique, Christian ethics of desire, healthy celibacy, alternative Christian vocations, strangeness of God’s love, living between two tribes